From September 2011 QST © ARRL

T eaching emergency Amateur Radio to teenagers is challenging. It is not just about using a radio or about operating 

procedure. The process is more complex than that. Students need to know how to conduct themselves during an event where their com-munication skills might be needed.

I read about a teacher at Cherry Creek High School in Colorado named Ann Moore. After reading  the  book,  Cowboy Ethics — What Wall Street Can Learn from the Code of the West, Ann decided to try to teach the principles of cowboy ethics. The  result was more  than she  expected.  Students  with  diverse  back-grounds and even  learning disabilities  came together with a new view of their own world. After talking to Ann on the phone, I was con-vinced I could teach the 10 cowboy ethics in urban Wilson High School  located  in Long Beach, California.

I  am  the  advisor  for  the  Wilson  High School’s Amateur Radio Emergency Commu- nications (AREC) team. I decided to put cow-boy ethics to the test. Once the team assem-bled, I put up an overhead of the 10 cowboy ethics and began to relate each to their job as EmComm operators.

1 Live Each Day with CourageI went on to explain that, in the event of 

a  real  disaster, we would  all  have  to work calmly and dig deep to stay focused and do our  communications  job  to  the best  of our ability. We are the only high school in Long Beach Unified School District with a student emergency radio  team as part of  the school emergency plan.  In  addition,  I went  on  to compliment  the  team  members  who  have failed  their  ham  radio  exams,  but  returned home  and  continued  studying.  That  takes courage. The  students kept working  toward their goal without fear of failure.

2 Take Pride in Your WorkThis  ethic  provided  a  great  opportunity 

to  talk about  equipment  that had been hast-ily put away and now needs repair. Last year 

our mobile radio station was packed up with bottles of water left inside. Equipment could have been destroyed but fortunately was not. In addition, transcribed messages need to be done neatly and accurately. When covering an  event,  the  student  team  must  represent the school with pride. This  is demonstrated by their professionalism during an operation.

3 Always Finish What You StartAgain,  students began  to understand  that 

they  cannot  just  leave  one  person  hanging while they take off for their next engagement. This has been an ongoing problem and now has been addressed. Each team member now understands  that  they need  to pull  their own weight.

4 Do What Has to Be DoneNot all aspects of Amateur Radio are fun. 

The  cleanup,  the  organization  and  replace-ment of used supplies is tedious but necessary.

5 Be Tough, But FairBoth Wilson AREC Team Captain Max 

Chang, KJ6EMB,  and  I  agree on  this  one. With 17 students on the team, this is the larg-est Amateur Radio team our school has ever had. People are going  to have  to wait  their turns, be patient and take orders.

Teaching Teens Amateur Radio Using Cowboy EthicsCowboy ethics help high school hams build an EmComm team.

Devon Day, KF6KEE

Wilson AREC team members work on the mobile radio station featuring 2 meter/11⁄4 meter and 2 meter/70 cm mobile radios. With a 50 A power supply and Powerpole connectors the radios can be easily interchanged. The station can be powered by ac, a 100 Ah gel cell, the team’s generator or a car battery with jumper cables and Powerpole connectors. From the left are Corleone Ham, KJ6DXN; Philip Scholnick, KJ6MCD; Max Chang, KJ6EMB, and Kevin Keo, KJ6LNZ.

Chip Margelli, K7JA, designed a mast launcher for military masts like the one the Wilson AREC team uses. Margelli demonstrated it and we built one the next day. Here Philip Scholnick, KJ6MCD, and Carina Ochoa, KJ6MCB, are using the Margelli mast launcher for Field Day 2011.

From September 2011 QST © ARRL

ing  as volunteers. Wilson High School’s  success  in  radio  is  the result of this generosity.

10 Know Where to Draw the Line

We interpret this ethic to mean that when anybody is out of line, step up. No innocent bystanders are  allowed.  As  old-fashioned as  cowboy ethics  sounds,  there is  a place  for  them  in an urban setting. When students cross the line for misunderstanding any of the previously mentioned ethics, team members must address the problem. Staying quiet (an urban trait)  when  a  team  member  is making a mistake is not good for the  team. Each  team member  is held responsible for the ethics of the entire team.

After  I went  through  the 10 cowboy  ethics  with  my  radio team, I scanned the room. Twelve 

serious faces returned my stare. The Wilson Amateur Radio Emergency Communications team  understood  these  Cowboy  Ethics. Urban kids were  able  to  relate  to  ethics of rural  cowboys  whose  handshake  was  their contract.

If you ask a Wilson AREC team member why they joined the team you will be surprised by the number one response: “Radio sounded like fun.” It is a lot more fun when each team member knows what they need to do to make the whole team work well. Trust grows with sound ethics. Teens, who know they can trust one another, can do amazing things. 

Photos courtesy of Devon Day, KF6KEE.

Devon Day, KF6KEE, an ARRL member, is an English teacher at Wilson High School in Long Beach, California. She is a National Board Certified teacher who has worked with students and ham radio for 11 years. She holds a General class license. Devon is a Freedom Writer Teacher and is included in the book Teaching Hope about teaching “at risk” children.

Wilson High School was built in 1925. It has produced Amateur Radio operators from the 1940s to the ’70s. These operators continue to stay in contact with Devon’s radio operators and lend support through donations of equip-ment and continued encouragement.

Devon credits her skill with Amateur Radio to a huge support system in Southern California and through mentors from ARRL who have always been there to lend assistance. Devon Day can be reached at Wilson High School, 4400 E 10th St, Long Beach, CA 90804, dday@lbschools.net.

6 When You Make a Promise, Keep It

This  one  is  pretty  easy  to understand. For the radio club, it has  to do with commitment and money. If you borrow money for equipment or books, pay it back. If you say you will participate in an event, be there on time.

7 Ride for the BrandKnowing  that  some  infor-

mation  passed  on  the  radio  is confidential  is  really  impor-tant.  Wilson’s  Amateur  Radio operators always have  to protect the  best  interests  of  the  school. Students  need  to  conduct  them-selves  in  a professional manner. They  need  to  dress  in  a  profes-sional way. They must not repeat confidential  information.  Next year’s  student  emergency  radio program  completely  depends on  the  choices  this  year’s  team makes.

8 Talk Less, Say MoreIn  the case of emergency  radio,  this  is  a 

perfect ethic to live by. We talked about how important  it  is  to keep a  frequency clear  for emergency traffic — that it is more important to transcribe during an emergency than to give information  that  is  speculation. This was  a great time to emphasize that our job is to pass directed information from school administra-tors rather than to pass our assessment.

I  talked  about  the  importance  of  tran-scribing all  transmitted  information  (includ-ing noting  the  time and date a  transmission occurred). In the case of student radio opera-tors passing emergency traffic, all messages are to be written and initialed by the admin-istrator  in charge.  If  the students are partici-pating in an actual disaster, things could get too intense. In that case the student operator would simply show the administrator how to use  the  radio and  let  the administrator pass the  emergency  information  to  the  City  of Long Beach EOC.  If  an unlicensed  admin-istrator does take the microphone, a licensed student or adult would remain at the radio to act as control operator.

9 Remember That Some Things are Not for Sale

For  the past  6 years, Wilson’s Amateur Radio team has expanded due to the support of  the radio community and outside donors. Elmers  have  taught  the  students  and  the advisor  for  free. Members of Wilson High School’s parent radio club, Associated Radio Amateurs of Long Beach  (www.aralb.org), have been a constant source of support and advice. The ARES® emergency coordinator for  sub  area 3, Bill Bradley, WD6FON,  is 

Students worked through the night to help the Santa Ana Response Team with Field Day 2011 and demonstrated many of the cowboy ethics they learned in class. It was a fantastic Field Day. Pictured from left to right are, in Row 1 sitting, Max Chang, KJ6EMB; Philip Scholnick, KJ6MCD; Corleone Ham, KJ6DXN; Row 1 standing, Derrick Brown, Jimmy Draper, KJ6ELZ; Carina Ochoa, KJ6MCB; Sarah Carner, KJ6LNY; Joshua Martinez, KJ6NBC; Brandon Silvi, KJ6EMD; Javier Ruiz, KJ6MCE, Devon Day, KF6KEE, and Kevin Keo, KJ6LNZ.

actively working to bring more area schools into the ARES® network for the City of Long Beach and is actively involved in the Wilson High School  radio  team.  In  addition, Long Beach  Community  Emergency  Response Team  (CERT) Director  of Education Sibyl Keirns, KA6RXX, has taken the entire team under  her  wing  to  teach  emergency  radio procedure.

These  important  community  trainers vol-unteer their time and expertise to the Wilson radio operators. Many  skills were acquired from the generosity of radio instructors who allowed us to participate in their radio courses through  scholarships.  This  also  includes Gordon West, WB6NOA, who offers  schol-arships to the Wilson AREC team so they can upgrade to the next license. In addition,  the Long Beach Yacht Club has offered the use of their private repeater in order for the AREC team to practice drills. Shoreline Yacht Club has offered  free  license classes and  the use of their radio room. The RMS Queen Mary management  team extended  free admission to the Wilson AREC team so the Wilson HS radio team could utilize the equipment in the W6RO wireless  room as  they practiced HF radio under the guidance of W6RO seasoned operators.

The  ARRL  has  supported  me  through Education  &  Technology  Program  grants and  two  ARRL  Teachers  Institutes  (www.arrl.org/education-technology-program). The  information  I  gained has  launched  cir-cuit  board  construction,  robot  and  antenna projects and a new language arts-technology pilot class. What the students at Wilson High School have gained cannot be assessed with a monetary value. Community  service has no price  tag;  it  is  its own  reward. Amateur Radio operators have a long tradition of serv-

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